That's longer than usual. The gap is 40 days longer in 2016 than in 2012. Both conventions were moved up nearly a full month this year, in hopes of giving candidates more time to raise money and campaign before the general election and to accommodate the Summer Olympics in August, which will eat up a lot of voters' attention.

The extra month is sure to spice up what's already proved to be an unusual race. NBC News rounds up how.